{"id":494,"date":"2022-10-31T14:55:44","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T14:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhousebuilding.com\/?p=494"},"modified":"2022-10-31T14:55:44","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T14:55:44","slug":"how-long-to-wait-between-coats-of-paint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhousebuilding.com\/how-long-to-wait-between-coats-of-paint\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long To Wait Between Coats Of Paint"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When painting any kind of surface you will probably need to apply more than one coat of paint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the same whether you\u2019re working on the interior or exterior of your home and whether you\u2019re working with wood, metal, or any other material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waiting around for a base coat to dry so that you can apply the next coat can be frustrating, especially if you don\u2019t know how long it takes for each coat to dry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to finish the painting<\/a> as quickly as possible, but try too quickly and your surface will only become messy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we will look at how long you should wait between coats of paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do Dry, Cure, And Recoat Mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we answer the question of how long you need to wait between coats of paint, we need to clarify a few terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll often see the terms dry, cure, and recoat used when it comes to paint but these words all mean very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This refers to how long it takes for wet paint to become tack-free. You can touch dry paint<\/a> with your fingers without them getting wet, but it doesn’t mean that the drying process has finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below the top skin of the paint it can still be wet, so it\u2019s not necessarily ready for being repainted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cure<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the time the paint needs to be fully dried and hardened from the skin all the way down. It means the paint is dry on a molecular level and is completely touchable and washable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can take weeks for paint to reach this level in some climates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recoat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is somewhere between dry and cure. It means that the paint is ready to be repainted and you can apply your next coat of paint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long this takes depends on the type of paint and this is what we will look at in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Long To Wait Between Coats Of Paint<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paint can generally be broken down into two broad categories: oil-based and water-based. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recoat time for the different types of paint will be different so the first thing you need to consider is the type of paint that you are using. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the recoat time for both types of paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recoat Time For Oil-Based Paints<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Oil-based paint is a great choice for surfaces such as doors, cabinets, and indoor trims because it\u2019s more durable than water-based paints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, oil-based paints take longer to dry than water-based paints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For oil-dry based paints to be ready for another coat of paint, it\u2019s best to wait a full 24 hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will feel ready after only a couple of hours, but this is usually just the top skin of the paint. For the best results, wait for 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recoat Time For Water-Based Paints<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Water-based paints will also dry more quickly than oil-based paints. This is because water-based paints dry by the process of water evaporation and this is quicker than the way oil-based paints dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different types of water-based paints will be ready for another coat in different amounts of time. In general terms, the flatter the sheen of the paint<\/a>, the more quickly it will dry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, glossy paints will take the longest amount of time to dry but flat or matte paint will dry in the quickest amount of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some rough times for water-based paints being ready for another coat of paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n